HIV particles detected in spermatozoa of patients with AIDS. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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HIV particles detected in spermatozoa of patients with AIDS.

J Submicrosc Cytol Pathol. 1991 Apr;23(2):339-45. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/91300473
Baccetti B; Benedetto A; Burrini AG; Collodel G; Elia C; Piomboni P; Renieri T; Sensini C; Zaccarelli M; Institute of General Biology of the University C.N.R., Siena;; Italy.

Abstract: In this paper the Authors describe the presence of HIV particles on and in mature spermatozoa either ejaculated by AIDS patients or incubated in vitro with HIV. Both kinds of spermatozoa have particles localized around the sperm organelles. In the first case, the nucleoid of the virus can be enveloped by a membrane-like coat or be devoid of it and form buddings in the plasma membrane. In the in vitro infected spermatozoa, only membrane enveloped nucleoids are present, and no process of budding can be found. The Authors conclude considering that the spermatozoa of the AIDS patients can be penetrated by the virus particles in different moments of their life, and show the HIV particles in different stages of their cycle: some of them have freshly penetrated the sperm, and are still contained in a membrane-like coat, others are replicated and are budding through the sperm plasma membrane. On the contrary, in vitro infected spermatozoa have only freshly penetrated virus particles, and lack buddings and membrane-free nucleoids. The presence of the HIV virus in spermatozoa is substantiated by labelling with monoclonal or polyclonal anti-HIV antibodies.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Cell Membrane/ULTRASTRUCTURE Human HIV/IMMUNOLOGY/*ISOLATION & PURIF/ULTRASTRUCTURE HIV Antibodies/IMMUNOLOGY Male Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Organelles/ULTRASTRUCTURE Spermatozoa/*MICROBIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/ULTRASTRUCTURE Support, Non-U.S. Gov't JOURNAL ARTICLEKWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDmicrobiology/pathologycellmembrane/ultrastructurehumanhiv/immunology/KWDisolation&purif/ultrastructurehivantibodies/immunologymalemicroscopy,electronmicroscopy,electron,scanningorganelles/ultrastructurespermatozoa/KWDmicrobiology/pathology/ultrastructuresupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov'tjournalarticle
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M91A0606

Copyright © 1991 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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